Electromagnetic contactor with supplementary switching devices and mounting therefor

ABSTRACT

An electromagnetic switching device made of insulation bodies on which are supported fixed contacts, a movable contact carrier, and electromagnetic operating means. Provision is made on the bodies for the attachment and annexation of supplementary poles and/or auxiliary smaller switches by interengagement and interlocking of the casings with formations that are provided on the main device so that when the bodies of the main device are assembled together they hold the supplementary or auxiliary devices.

United States Patent Inventor Harold E. Schleicher West Hartford, Conn.Appl. No. 47,082 Filed June 17, 1970 Division of Ser. No. 704,363, Feb.9, 1968, Pat. No. 3,551,859. Patented Sept. 28, 1971 AssigneeArrow-Hart,lnc.

Hartford, Conn.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR WITH SUPPLEMENTARY SWITCHING DEVICES ANDMOUNTING THEREFOR 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 335/132, 335/202 Int. Cl ..H01h 45/02 Field of Search 335/132,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,118,991 1/1964 Scott 337/73,287,521 11/1966 Gryctko et al. 337/7 3,290,628 12/1966 McGary 335/1323,382,469 5/1968 Conner 335/132 Primary Examiner-Harold BroomeAttorney-Davis, Hoie, Faithful & Hapgood ABSTRACT: An electromagneticswitching device made of insulation bodies on which are supported fixedcontacts, a movable contact carrier, and electromagnetic operatingmeans.

Provision is made on the bodies for the attachment and annexation ofsupplementary poles and/or auxiliary smaller switches by interengagementand interlocking of the casings with formations that are provided on themain device so that when the bodies of the main device are assembledtogether they hold the supplementary or auxiliary devices.

ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOR WITH SUPPLEMENTARY SWITCHING DEVICES ANDMOUNTING THEREFOR This application is a division of my application, Ser.No. 704,363, filed Feb. 9, I968, patented on Dec. 29, 1970, No.3,551,859.

This invention relates to electromagnetically operated switchingdevices, commonly referred to as electromagnetic contactors, and tosupplementary or auxiliary poles or smaller switches and to the meansfor mounting the latter on the former in a way that the latter issecured to the former by the assembling of the parts of the contactorafter the supplementary device is mounted on the contactor.

In electromagnetic contactors as heretofore known, movable contacts havebridged pairs of fixed contacts to open and close the circuits througheach line that is connected to the device. These movable contacts weremounted on a carrier which was caused to move by energization of asolenoid coil,

' creating an electromagnetic field to attract the armature against abias of springs or gravity or both.

On some occasions and for some usages, it has been desirable ornecessary to have the energization of the electromagnet cause actuationof one or more additional units by closing movement of the armatureassembly.

These supplementary units include (a) an extra pole having contactscapable of handling current and voltage requirements equal to the polesof the contactor itself, or (b) an auxiliary switch having normally openor normally closed switch contacts or combinations thereof for one ormore auxiliary or supplementary circuits, or both another pole and anadditional switching unit.

It is an object of this invention to provide units and contactors asaforesaid with improved and novel means for the units to be annexed orattached to the contactor without separate screws or similar securingmeans but held in engagement when the parts of the contactor areassembled.

It is also an object to avoid the need for separate screws and similarsecuring means when attaching units, as aforesaid, to the contactor ininterlocked, fixed relationship. A related object is to accomplish saidattachment by use of interior and exterior formations of the units andcontactor. Other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as it is described in connection with the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an electromagnetically actuatedswitch or contactor embodying the invention, before attachment of asupplementary unit.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of the invention looking at the left endof FIG. 1, with an auxiliary unit attached.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a supplementary pole switch unit,designed for use with the contactor of FIG. 1, and shown assembled onthe contactor in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, partly broken away, showing the mountingof a supplementary pole unit as seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal midsection view of the unit of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a supplementary pushbut' ton type ofswitch unit designed for use with the contactor of FIG. I, and shownassembled on the contactor in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, partly broken away, showing the mountingof a supplementary switch unit which is shown in mounted position inFIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the supplementary pushbutton typeswitch unit of FIG. 6, but of the other side.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal switch view transversely through the unit ofFIG. 7 and FIG. 8, with the section being along line 9- 9 of FIG. 3.

The invention as illustrated in the drawings is made up of severalinterconnected assemblies each having a number of arts. p The assembliesare mounted on a base 10 made of molded insulating material. Theseassemblies are:

l. A base assembly comprising an insulation base member on which aremounted fixed contacts and terminal memhers.

2. A movable contact assembly which is mounted in the base and includesan insulation contact carrier on which is mounted a plurality ofbridging contacts, each adapted to engage and disengage a pair of fixedcontacts.

3. An actuating assembly for moving the movable contact carrierincluding a pivoted U-shaped bellcrank lever member carrying anelectromagnet armature.

4. A field assembly for an electromagnet including an insulating body onwhich is mounted a subassembly consisting of a solenoid coil embedded ininsulation and a laminated U-shaped field piece passing through thecoil.

5. A cover made of insulation for the electromagnet field assemblymounted on the same.

6. Supplemental switching assemblies or units for annexation orattachment to the assembled combination of the assemblies describedabove.

One supplemental assembly or unit may be an extra pole unit comprisingan insulating body having a pair of fixed contacts and a movablebridging contact, and an actuating member positioned to be moved by theactuating assembly when the electromagnetic operating means isenergized.

Another supplementary assembly or unit may be a pushbutton-actuatedswitch having a pair or pairs of normally open or a pair or pairs ofnormally closed contact sets or combinations thereof in which a bridgingcontact or contacts are moved into engagement with a pair of fixedcontacts or out of engagement with a pair of fixed contacts, or both, byand simultaneously with attraction and release of the armature.

The assemblies comprising the basic combination may be so formed andconfigured with tongue-and-groove or dovetail formations as to enableattachment, without screws or the like, of the supplementary units andto hold them in such position of interengagement with the basic units ofthe combination that, after the securing screws which secure the maincomponent assemblies together are screwed tight, the supplemental unitor units are firmly attached.

The details of the electromagnetic contactor are fully described andclaimed in parent application Ser. No. 704,363, to which reference maybe had for details. Hence, the contactor is only briefly and insummation described herein.

THE BASEPLATE MEMBER Referring more particularly to the individualcomponents or assemblies which make up the contactor, the base 10 is amolded insulating body of a generally rectangular shape and is hollowedout with three parallel similar cavities for the reception of pairs ofaligned fixed contact and terminal members such as 12b.

One end of each member extends toward the outside of the base and has aterminal screw 12: threaded through it.

The fixed contact and terminal members are secured to the base byconventional means.

On each of the opposite sides of the base that are parallel to thecontacts, two parallel spaced ribs 14a, 14b, and 15a, 15b, are formedwith their parallel edges undercut'or dovetailed (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 7for the dovetailing). These dovetail ribs provide means to secureadditional units to the sides of the base, as will subsequently morefully appear.

For moving the contact carrier there is an endwise extension 28 fromeach end thereof, embraced by the forked ends of the arm 31 of anarmature assembly 30, as hereinafter described.

To bias the contact carrier 20 and the armature assembly, spring pressedplungers 27 (see FIG. 1) are mounted in two symmetrically located wells,on in each of the walls of the base beneath each end of the contactcarrier. Each of these plungets is pressed upwardly against the bottomtyne of the forked end of the arms 31 of the armature assembly 30, as inFIG. I by a coiled compression spring 29 seated in the well and receivedin the hollow head of its plunger 27.

This means consists of two assemblies: (1 an electromagnet fieldassembly consisting of (a) a supporting member or body 40 and (b) asolenoid coil and field piece; and (2) an armature assembly. They may beassembled with ease on the base as individual self-contained units; andequally they may be diassembled from the base.

The field assembly consists of an insulating support member or body 40formed from molded insulation material into the form best observed inFIGS. 1 and 2. The body is of irregular shape but symmetrical about itslongitudinal centerline. Viewed from the side(as in FIG. 1) it hasgenerally rectangular sides with generally triangular platelikeextensions 42 at the upper end of each of its sides. The extensionstaper to tips 42, which, when the body 40 is assembled upon the baseend, extend under overhanging projections 18, which extend up from thebase at two opposite comers thereof. The width of the body 40approximates that of the base; and the surfaces of the bottom body liein a plane and on the top surface of the base 10. The body 40 is locatedin proper position on top of the base by conical collars 19 extending uparound screwbolt passages through the base from the top surface of thebase at those corners of the base which are opposite to the tips 42'.These conical collars are in register with and are received in conicalrecesses in the bottom of the body 40 when the body 40 is placed uponthe base. Then screwbolts may be inserted through the registering holesin the body 40 and through the collars to secure the base 10 and body 40together.

On the inside of each of the projections 18 on the body 40 there is avertical wall closing the inner side of the overhang. This preventssidewise movement of the tips 42 when they are engaged under theoverhang.

The bottom of the body 40 overlies the trunnion recesses 16 in the base10 and the trunnions 32 of the hereinafter described armature assemblythus holding the trunnions in the recesses.

The solenoid coil and field piece (not shown) are mounted in theinsulating support body 40, as described in said parent application andare designed to attract (when energized) the hereinafter describedarmature assembly in known fashion.

To hold the field unit in the body 40, a shallow, flat-topped cover 60of molded insulation material is secured over the field units by bolts61 which pass downwardly through holes in the cover into the body 40near neighboring corners. The cover is hollowed in its under surface toreceive in close-fitting embrace the upper part of the coil casing.

To actuate the movable contact carrier, a belicrank-type electromagnetarmature assembly 30 is mounted in the base 10 pivotally in open-V-shaperecesses 16 (see FIG. 1) that are provided in the sidewalls of the basein opposite aligned positions.

The body of the assembly is made of molded insulation and is generallyspeaking of U-shape, with its arms formed identically in the shape ofparallel belicrank levers 31. Trunnions 32 extend from the outer sidesurfaces of the arms 31, for seating in the V-recesses 16 in the sidesof the base. The ends of the arms 31 are forked to embrace the extendingends 28 of the contact carrier, as previously mentioned, to cause thecarrier and bridging contacts to move toward and away from the fixedcontacts. The armature assembly is biased toward inactive position, asshown in FIG. 1, by the spring-pressed plungers 27 pressing against thebottom side of the forked ends of the arms 31, all as previouslymentioned.

The transverse part of the armature assembly has a rectangular openingthrough it and extending longitudinally along it. In the opening isinserted a rectangular laminated bar armature 36 which is attracted bythe field piece when its solenoid coil is energized.

For the purposes of actuating auxiliary or supplementary units when theyare attached to the contactor, two lugs 34 may be formed on the armatureassembly on opposite sides, one extending from each side of the moldedbell crank member to engage a cooperating stud on the auxiliary switch,as will subsequently be described.

To enable supplementary units to be attached to or annexed to thecontactor without separate screws or similar securing means, the base,body and cover members 10, 40 and 60, respectively, are formedexteriorly to cooperate and engage with exterior formations on thecasings of the units, for mutual interengagement and interlocking whenthe components or assemblies of the contactor are fitted and securedtogether. The manner and means for accomplishing this will appear fromthe following description:

Extra Pole Addition Referring to FIG. 3-5, the supplementary unitcomprises a molded insulation casing having substantially planesidewalls in which are parallel channels 71, the parallel edges of whichare undercut at an acute angle forming the channel into dove formationas viewed in transverse section (see FIG. 4). The casing is molded witha cavity for reception, mounting and movement of the switch elements ashereinafter described. A cover 73 fits over and covers the open top ofthe casing. The channels are dimensioned and positioned to receivesnugly the dovetail ribs 14a, 14b on the base member 10 as the unit 70is placed against the side of the base 10 above the ribs and is sliddown with the channels 71 in register with the ribs.

The channels and ribs are so dimensioned and positioned that when theunit 70 is connected to the base 10 with the unit slid on the ribs asfar as possible, the top of the unit will be flush with the top of base10. In order to hold the unit 70 in that position, the side wall of thefield supporting body 40 overhangs the cover 73 of the unit 70 at leastas much much as the ribs protrude from base 10. Thus while the body 40remains secured on the base 10, the unit 70 cannot be removed and noother means is required to hold the unit in that assembled position.

The switching contacts are within the casing 70 and may be of variousdifferent forms, sizes and capacities, but when the unit is to be usableas a fourth pole, it is preferable that its contact carrier 76 supportbacking springs 75 pressing against bridging contact 74 for engagementwith fixed contact buttons 72c on terminal members 72 secured to thecasing 70 by screw bolts 72s, all of like form and in a like manner toequivalent parts in the contactor itself. The carrier 76, however, needonly be one-third the length of carrier in the main contactor.

To enable the contact carrier 76 of the extra pole to be actuated by andsimultaneously with the carrier 26 of the contactor itself, a pair ofparallel spaced lugs 78 extend one above the other from the carrier 76through a wide slot in the casing 70 toward the base 10 in position tooverlie and underlie and to be in constant engagement with the extension28 from the carrier of the contactor. The location of the extension 28is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. Hence, the bridging contact 74 ofthe added pole is actuated at the same time and partakes the samemovement as the bridging contacts inside the contactor.

AUXILIARY SWITCH ADDITION Referring to FIGS. 6-9, and auxiliary switchhas its switching parts housed within a molded insulation casing(designated generally by numeral 80) having a hollow base part 81covered over by a cover part 82 to hold the switching parts in properlyassembled position therein. The casing may be of any desired shape, theshape shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 illustrating only one convenient form. Thecover part 82 is flat, while the base part is recessed in various placesto receive the several switch parts and wire connection terminals.

For mounting the auxiliary switch on the contactor, a wide, rectangular,flat, platelike rib 83 is molded integrally with the base part 81. Itslonger edges are undercut or dovetailed as at 832, toward the surface-ofthe base part, as may be seen in FIG. 9. These dovetailed edges 83e areadapted to fit in opposite parallel undercut dovetailed edges 82c of arecess 82R in the side wall ofthe body 40, as may be seen in FIG. 1.

The recess 82R is generally speaking of the same size and shape as thewide rib 83, so that the rib 83 may be fitted in the top end of recess82R with its bevelled edges in dovetail engagement therewith. Thus therib will slide into the recess as the auxiliary switch is pressed towardthe base of the contactor.

One or more auxiliary switches 80 may thus be attached or annexed to andflush against the side walls of the body 40 without the use of screws,rivets, or like fasteners. To make that annexation and attachment thecover 60 is removed, while the rib 83 is inserted in and slid along therecess 82R. The cover 60 is then placed on the body 40 with the coverengaging the top edge of the rib 83. When the cover is secured on thebody 40 by bolts 61 the auxiliary switch will be firmly and permanentlysecured to the body 40 of the contactor.

The interior parts of the switch 80 may be varied to suit varyingdemands and requirements. One particularly useful form includes a bar 84of insulation material extending lengthwise centrally of the casing in achannel 81s in the base part 81.

Mounted slidably on the bar 84 within passages through it at oppositeends are spaced bridging contact bars 85, 85, which extend through thepassages and are adapted to bridge and to disengage pairs of fixedcontacts 86 and 86 as the bar is moved axially to and fro. The fixedcontacts are mounted on the cover part 82 of the switch casing. A coiledcompression spring 87, 87, positioned within each passage pressesagainst each bridging contact to resiliently mount it.

To bias the contact carrying bar 84, a coiled compression spring 88 ismounted under it (as viewed in FIG. 9) pressing at one end against thebase part 81 of the casing and at its other end against a lateralprojection from the bar 84.

In order to actuate the auxiliary switch as the contactor operates, astud 89 extends laterally from the bar through a longitudinallyextending slot 81s in the end of the base part. The stud extends towardthe contactor into the path of the lug 34 on the armature assembly.

Thus, as the electromagnet is energized and the armature assembly isactuated, the auxiliary switch will be operated when the lug 34 of thearmature assembly engages the stud 89 on the movable contact-carryingbar 84.

Many modifications within the scope of the invention will occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to thespecific embodiment illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A main switching device comprising, housing means made of moldedinsulation and having at least two parts, fixed and movable contactmeans mounted within said housing means, means moving said movablecontacts, means mounted within said housing means operating saidcontact-moving means, a supplemental switching device includingengageable and disengageable contact means and an insulating casing,means formed integrally with the housing means of the main deviceinterlocking with means formed integrally with the casing of saidsupplementary device for mounting said supplementary device on theoutside of said housing means, and means formed as an integral part ofone of said parts of said main device to prevent detachment of thesupplementary device from the main device while said housing parts ofthe main device remain assembled, regardless of the presence or absenceof any back or mounting plate.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking meanson the housing means is on one part thereof and another part of saidhousing means is in overhanging relation to said supplementary devicepreventing disconnection of the latter from the main device while theparts of the main device remain assembled.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking meanscomprise a rib and a channel receiving the rib, and wherein a secondpart of said housing means is in overhanging relation to saidstpplementary device preventing disconnection of the latter rom the mamdevice while the parts of the main device remain assembled.

4. The combination as claimed in claim I wherein the interlocking meanscomprise a depression in at least one of part of said housing means anda protrusion on the casing of the supplementary device, and means onsaid housing and on said casing preventing disconnection of thesupplementary device from the main device while the latter remainsassembled.

5. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein said supple mentaryswitching device also includes contacting means in said casing,interengaging means on said contacting means which is movable to causeengagement and disengagement of said contacting means, saidinterengaging means interconnecting with said contact-moving means ofthe main device to cause simultaneous movement of said movable contactmeans and said contacting means of said supplementary device.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking meanscomprises a depression and a protrusion fitting in said depression, thedepression being formed in one device and the protrusion being formedintegrally with the other, and means on said devices preventing theirdisconnection while the main device remains assembled; and wherein saidsupplementary switching device also includes interengaging means on saidcontacting means which is movable to cause engagement and disengagementof said contacting means; said interengaging means interconnecting withsaid contact moving means of the main device to cause simultaneousmovement of said movable contact means and said contacting means of saidsupplementary device.

1. A main switching device comprising, housing means made of moldedinsulation and having at least two parts, fixed and movable contactmeans mounted within said hoUsing means, means moving said movablecontacts, means mounted within said housing means operating saidcontact-moving means, a supplemental switching device includingengageable and disengageable contact means and an insulating casing,means formed integrally with the housing means of the main deviceinterlocking with means formed integrally with the casing of saidsupplementary device for mounting said supplementary device on theoutside of said housing means, and means formed as an integral part ofone of said parts of said main device to prevent detachment of thesupplementary device from the main device while said housing parts ofthe main device remain assembled, regardless of the presence or absenceof any back or mounting plate.
 2. The combination as claimed in claim 1wherein the interlocking means on the housing means is on one partthereof and another part of said housing means is in overhangingrelation to said supplementary device preventing disconnection of thelatter from the main device while the parts of the main device remainassembled.
 3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein theinterlocking means comprise a rib and a channel receiving the rib, andwherein a second part of said housing means is in overhanging relationto said supplementary device preventing disconnection of the latter fromthe main device while the parts of the main device remain assembled. 4.The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking meanscomprise a depression in at least one of part of said housing means anda protrusion on the casing of the supplementary device, and means onsaid housing and on said casing preventing disconnection of thesupplementary device from the main device while the latter remainsassembled.
 5. The combination claimed in claim 1 wherein saidsupplementary switching device also includes contacting means in saidcasing, interengaging means on said contacting means which is movable tocause engagement and disengagement of said contacting means, saidinterengaging means interconnecting with said contact-moving means ofthe main device to cause simultaneous movement of said movable contactmeans and said contacting means of said supplementary device.
 6. Thecombination as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interlocking meanscomprises a depression and a protrusion fitting in said depression, thedepression being formed in one device and the protrusion being formedintegrally with the other, and means on said devices preventing theirdisconnection while the main device remains assembled; and wherein saidsupplementary switching device also includes interengaging means on saidcontacting means which is movable to cause engagement and disengagementof said contacting means; said interengaging means interconnecting withsaid contact moving means of the main device to cause simultaneousmovement of said movable contact means and said contacting means of saidsupplementary device.